Furring device



March 22, 1938. J, STACK I FURRING DEVICE Filed Nov; 1'7, 1936 EIEQL 3315-2 EIEEI INVENTOR ATToRNEY Patented Mar. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FURRING DEVICE Application November 17, 1936, Serial No. 111,213

2 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for fastening wires in spaced relation to a surface.

t is an object of the invention to provide a furring device for fastening material, such as wire cloth or expanded metal lath, to a surface in spaced relation thereto, which may be more rapidly applied than the presently used devices of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide a 0 device of the class described which does not require the use of the workmans hands to raise the lath from the surface in order to permit insertion thereof between the lath and surface.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a furring device provided with means for simultaneously gripping a plurality of lath wires or elements so that the possibility of dislodgm-ent of the wires after they have been gripped is materially lessened.

A further object of the invention is toprovide a furring device which will tend to stiffen. the lath and render it less liable to sag toward or away from the supporting surface during or after the application of the plaster.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a furring device which may be produced as economically as any now on the market.

The invention possesses other objects and valuable features, some of which, together with the foregoing, will be specifically set forth in the detailed description of the invention hereunto anneXed. It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited. to the particular species thereof shown and described as various other embodiments thereof may be employed within the scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing; Figure 1 is a perspective View of a section of stuccoed wall showing the application of my improved furring device thereto.

Figure 2 is atop plan view of the complete furring device; and

Figure 3 is a side elevational view thereof.

In detail, the furring device of my invention comprises a block 4 having parallel inner and outer surfaces 6 and 1, respectively, and vertical sides 8. The outer surface of the block is provided with a portion 9 sloping upwardly from a point adjacent the bottom I and rearwardly to intersect with the outer surface 6 so as to form a wedge. The block 4 may be made of pressed paper pulp, wood, or any other suitable inexpensive and easily processed material. Formed substantially centrally of the outer surface 6 is a vertical aperture 55 H into which the shank I2 of a broad headed nail I3 is driven to a position wherein the point I4 thereof just projects beyond the surface 1. Also formed in the outer surface 6 is a plurality of angularly related grooves l6 radiating from a forward portion of the periphery of the nail shank 6 l2 and extending to the edge of the outer surface. The angular relation and depth of the grooves I6 are made to conform to the size and formation of the wires of standard metal cloth l1 which is generally used in stucco work.

Most furring devices in use at the present time consist of a cylindrical or rectangular spacer through which the usual attachment nail, corresponding to the nail I3, is driven to secure the spacer to the wall l8 which is to receive the plaster l9. Some spacers, in the outer surface thereof are provided with a straight groove into which one, or a twisted pair, of wires of the metal lath may be seated. The nail is then driven and the wires are secured in the groove by the broad 20 head of the nail which overlies both the wires and the groove. Considerable time is expended, even by a workman particularly skilled, in applying the devices, since, in many instances the lath must be raised from the surface of the sheathing to permit insertion of the spacer and the workman is then required to hold the spacer in position until the nail is driven. It is evident that, since the device requires holding at least until the nail is started fairly into the sheathing, considerable time is required to furr a given area of lath, let alone the time required to lift the lath and place each succeeding furring device.

The furring device of my invention is intended to speed up the application of lath to surfaces by 35 eliminating, to a large degree, the deficiencies of the generally used devices of this character.

In Figure 1 is shown the three phases of application of my furring device to a building wall to be lathed. It will be noted that the block is inserted above the V formed by the converging wires of the lath and is then pushed downwardly into the position shown in the lower right hand portion of the figure. This procedure has, by the 45 action of the wedge, automatically raised the lath without requiring any other movement on the part of the workman other than pushing downwardly on the block. The latter, since the nail is held in the V of the wires, is thus firmly held, 50 without the aid'of the workman, against ready displacement. Since the device requires no support while the nail is being driven it will be seen that, during the latter operation, the workman may be placing the next furring device. A maximum saving in time is thus efiected since the device of my invention frees one of the wo-rkmans hands which may, as was stated above, be used advantageouly in placing succeeding furring devices.

I claim:

1. A furring device comprising a fiat block having an outer surface which is shorter than its inner surface, the lower edge of said outer surface being beveled downwardly and rearwardly to the lower edge of the inner surface in such manner as to provide a wedge portion to facilitate placing the block in position said block having a hole extending therethrough from the outer surface to the inner surface, and a nail having a pointed end wedged into said opening and projecting from the outer surface in such manner as to provide a support for the block while placing the latter in position, and to retain the nail in position while being driven through the block.

2. A furring device comprising a fiat block having an outer surface which is shorter than its inner surface, the lower edge of said outer surface being beveled downwardly and rearwardly to the lower edge of the inner surface in such manner as to provide a wedge portion to facilitate placing the block in position, said block having a hole extending therethrough from the outer surface to the inner surface, said outer surface being provided with a plurality of radiating grooves having their inner ends terminating contiguously to said opening, and a nail having a pointed end wedged into said opening in such manner as to provide a support for the block while placing the latter in position and to retain the nail in position while being driven through the block, said nail having a fiat head adapted to overlie portions of all of the grooves after the nail has been driven through the block.

JAMES M. STACK. 

